Is it me or does this beautiful song sound an awful lot like a Stevie Wonder song?

gypsyfire said:

That song is an ultimate to me... Beautiful. I think Stevie Wonders song are all original... and are Beautiful
I love all his songs also... Don't think their songs sound all that alike but well maybe sorta... well kinda... Anyway, the song "The Grand Progresion" is totally Beautiful to me... either way... 8) A masterpiece...

The song's chord structure supporting the melody is not dissimilar to the way that Stevie Wonder sometimes constructs his ballads. Additionally, the use of keyboards beneath the piano is reminiscent of Stevie at times, particular the descending keyboard after the choruses.

I have previously thought that it would not seem out of place to hear Stevie's distinctive vocals on this song.

I dont think it sounds like a Stevie Wonder song, But I do hope if he ever releases this beautiful song, He will drop that cheesy synth in it.. Just the piano and him sound fine thank u...

They say that about every soul song done with lots of piano. The Prince song aint nearly as great as Ribbon In The Sky, but it is great.

Maybe I've never listened to it properly, but this is one of the most boring out-takes I've ever heard.

Princes vocals on The Grand Progression are wonderful

Damnit I love this track

Much love Pochacco

Velvet, maybe you don't have any soul..lol

seemed like a Babyface outtake to me.

2freaky4church1 said:

That's funny 2freaky because The Grand Progression
was played during our wedding ceremony & Ribbon in The Sky
was our first married dance you are right on

2freaky4church1 said:

LOL! Yeah, right.

And maybe The Grand Progression is just a short ballad that Prince chose to keep unreleased for a good reason.

i think Moonbeam Levels & even something simple but powerful like 'I Hear Your Voice' r better.

i just dont really dig it.
but its pretty

gypsyfire said:

No.

I will agree that "The Grand Progression" is reminiscent of a Stevie Wonder track. But, I do beleive "TGP" stands on it's own as very beautiful song. The thing that makes it unique in my opinion is that the progression of the chord structures are very Prince-like meaning that musically, I don't think Stevie would take the song in the direction that Prince takes it. Prince has a tendency to write chord structures that seem slightly off key and that's something that Stevie doesn't really do. Stevie seems to like chord structures that are beautiful from beginning to end. Where as Prince seems to (or at least used to) like to write beautiful chord progressions and then he will intentionaly it seems introduce a certain amount of tension and dissonance into the sound.

And for those of you that don't really know what I'm saying, I think a great example of what I'm getting at is found in the song "Sometimes it Snows in April". Listen to the chorus where he sings "... sometimes it snows in April... sometimes I wish..." right on the word "wish" is a vocal chord structure that seems slightly off key, almost like he hits the wrong note. But obviously it's not a mistake and he's singing that way on purpose. That is something that Stevie would never do, and The Grand Progression is no different in that regard.

What's all this comparison nonsense? Y'all trippin up in hea. The Grand Progression is lovely, I just had it on repeat yesterday...

this is very possibly my most favorite bootleg...well, maybe along with All My Dreams!

FutureShock said:

Yes, my guitar teacher loves that! Untrained ears might not hear that, but this part can really take you by surprise when you hear it for the first time.

The Grand Progression is one of my all time favorite Prince outtakes.

Still amazes me how some of my favorite P songs are considered some of the worst by others. A friend of mine recently said something about how aweful "White Mansion" on Emancipation was. I was in disbelief cuz that is one of the better trax on that album IMO. In fact, I like it alot.

oh well.

Sometimes it Snows in April is a very obvious use of this pop-hook trick... Beatles used it too, throwing one dissonant note in a chord in one part sometimes...

calldapplwondery83 said:

But in this song there's not one dissonant note in a chord but the chord itself is actually out of place in the key (I think it's A). And of course I know that Prince isn't the only one to use that.

It's an okay song,but I think Prince made the right decision in replacing it with the superior "Still Would Stand All Time" on the 'GB' album and movie.